The many health benefits of having a dog

Canines not only provide companionship, they keep you thin and your blood pressure down

By Kristen Sturt, Of Next Avenue

Monday, October 16, 2017

Whether you’re a dog owner or volunteer with dogs, studies have shown that when it comes to you and your healthy, your furry friends can actually be helpful to your well-being.

Dogs don’t just fill your heart; they actually make it stronger. Studies show that having a canine companion is linked to lower blood pressure, reduced cholesterol and decreased triglyceride levels, which contribute to better overall cardiovascular health and fewer heart attacks. What’s more dog owners who do have heart attacks have better survival rates following the events.

Health experts recommend that adults get about two hours and 30 minutes worth of moderate exercise per week. Dog owners are more likely to hit that goal.

“Dogs contribute to owner’s lives. It is wonderful exercise for a dog owner who has to get up and move every day,” said Dr. Gloria Williams, DVM, owner of Pets Ahoy Animal Hospital in Macomb Township and Pet Authority Animal Hospital in Waterford. “Humans who walk their dogs daily are healthier than others because of the cardio workout from dog walking.”

In addition, regular activity helps dog owners remain mobile into their 70s and 80s. A study in “Gerontologist” found that older adults who walked dogs experienced lower body mass index, fewer activities of daily living limitations, fewer doctor visits and more frequent moderate and vigorous exercise.

Research has repeatedly found that daily dog walks help owners lose weight, since walks force moderate activity. In 2010, one study discovered that public housing residents who walked dogs five times a week lost an average of 14 pounds over the course of a year. Participants considered it a responsibility to the dog, rather than exercise.

As people get older, many have a hard time getting out to meet others. This is not the case for dog owners. Researchers have found that about 40 percent of them make friends more easily, possibly because the vast majority — four in five, according to one British study — speak with other dog owners during walks.

There’s a reason therapy dogs are so effective: Spending just a few minutes with a pet can lower anxiety and increase levels of serotonin and dopamine, two neurochemicals that play big roles in calm and well-being.

“There has been numerous studies that show that having a pet lowers blood pressure,” Williams said.

People performing stressful tasks do better when there’s a dog around, too, and studies show dogs ease tension both at the office and for married couples.

A dog can add meaning and purpose for many older people. Dogs help prevent loneliness and isolation, which is key in staving off cognitive decline and disease.

— Debra Kaszubski, Vitality Special Writer, contributed to this report.